Roof vents provide the necessary ventilation to the roof of a house or other building, inhibiting condensation in the roof due to the infiltration or otherwise collection of moisture into the roof or attic cavity. Various roof vents employ vanes, grates and louvers to permit air to be channeled between the roof and the atmosphere, and to try to inhibit rain from entering the roof through the roof vent. A variety of caps and covers have been used to act as a guard to prevent the infiltration of rain. However, prior art roof vents have thus far been ineffective in inhibiting the infiltration of water into the attic space, particularly in cases of fierce storms and the like.
Of particular concern for roof mounted vents is the infiltration of water. Roof vents mounted lower down on the roof, nearer the eves, can be particularly susceptible to fast/voluminous moving water coming down the roofing surface and impacting the sides of the roof vent. It is recognized that the greater the speed and/or volume of water impacting the sides of the roof vent, the greater the risk of water infiltrating the roof vent and finding its way in to the interior of the roof. Also of concern is the positioning of multiple auxiliary structures on the roof, such as vents, as the auxiliary structures must be tied into the roof cladding (e.g. shingles), and as such can present potential weaknesses in the roof cladding. Further, care must be taken by installers with the individually positioned auxiliary structures, as each auxiliary structure must be tied in properly with the roof cladding about the auxiliary structure. As the number of individual auxiliary structures increases, the amount of time and expense for installation also increases. Further, some roof geometries present limited space opportunities for the positioning of the auxiliary structures.
As such, it is recognized for any or all of the disadvantages above, minimizing the number of auxiliary structures mounted on a roof surface is preferred.